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Lockheed Unveils ADS-B Team

Systems integrator Lockheed Martin threw its hat into the ring for FAA’s coming requirement for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), unveiling a multidisciplinary team that includes Sensis Corp., Harris Corp. and Honeywell.

Officials of the participating companies briefed reporters on the bid in late October during the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) conference in Washington, where concerns were aired over the lack of standards, the cost of equipage and the future acceptance of ADS-B by airspace users. Nevertheless, the team professed confidence in its ability to produce a working system in parallel with an FAA final rule on ADS-B, slated for November 2009.

"We welcome the fact that this will be a performance-based, statement of objective-based procurement that will put some demands on industry without presupposing a solution," said Judy Marks, president of Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions, Rockville, Md. "...We will hit the deployment schedule."

A stepping stone to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) envisioned in 2025, ADS-B will leverage GPS positioning to provide both pilots and controllers with real-time traffic displays, enabling aircraft to fly safely and more predictably with less separation. Some 400 ground stations will receive aircraft broadcasts and send traffic, weather and other information back to aircraft. FAA plans to issue a request for offers in March and award a contract for the program in July. A notice of proposed rulemaking is slated for September 2007 with the final rule to follow.

Marks said the Lockheed Martin team is eyeing a 20-year procurement "well worth over $1 billion" to provide a service, rather than equipment. Lockheed already is the contractor for FAA’s En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program, scheduled for deployment at 20 En Route Air Route Traffic Control Centers by 2009.

"Our ability to be the leading provider of automation systems — en route, terminal [and] oceanic — really does give us the ability to ensure an integrated, cohesive system going forward," Marks said. "[As] the ERAM provider, we have made sure that ADS-B will be fully integrated."

Lockheed Martin will be responsible for overall system design, integration, deployment transition and operations. Among the partners, Sensis will be responsible for ground receiver technology, assisted by Rannoch Corp.; Harris will provide network capabilities for the exchange of surveillance data; and Honeywell will ensure integration of avionics with ground equipment. The companies have variously been involved in ADS-B demonstrations in Australia, Alaska and the Ohio Valley.

In line with presenters at the ATCA conference, company officials said they anticipate no significant technological barriers; elements of ADS-B have been around since the 1990s. What will be difficult is settling on operating procedures and standards, including a data protocol for systemwide information sharing, and driving adoption by airspace users of the costly avionics that will be required. That may require FAA to dole out incentives for early adopters, such as preferred routing.

"When it comes to policy issues, that’s with the FAA. We’re not here to define the policy, we’re here to implement their statement of objectives," Marks said.

"I think it’s going to be incumbent on all of us to drive adoption," she added. "Some of that is going to require some unique incentives, potentially to be offered by the FAA, for people who will adopt this early. We’ve certainly given ideas at industry days to do that, and I think you’re going to continue to see those go forward, ranging from value-added services to potentially preferential routings. I think all those are up for discussion." — Bill Carey

Weather Data Link

ARINC said it sent full-color Nexrad weather images rapidly from ground to the cockpit using standard Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) messages transmitted over high-speed VDL Mode 2 (VDLM2) data link.

Stormscope Mark

L-3 said its Stormscope weather mapping systems were the first airborne instruments developed specifically to detect and map thunderstorms by analyzing the radiated signals of electrical discharges from storm cells. L-3 acquired the Stormscope line from 3M in the early 1990s and has continued to improve upon the technology with its current WX-500, WX-950 and WX-1000 models. Visit www.L-3Avionics.com.

AHRS Deliveries

BAE Systems started deliveries of its Replacement Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (R-AHRS) to the U.S. Navy for SH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

R-AHRS replaces spinning-mass gyros and magnetic sensors with ring-laser gyros and other solid-state technology. BAE Systems received an $18.3 million contract in 2003 to develop and produce 658 R-AHRS units for Navy Seahawks. Visit www.na.baesystems.com.

NGATS Test Bed

Sensis Corp., Syracuse, N.Y., partnered with other aerospace companies and federal and local government agencies to implement a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) test bed in Cleveland.

The partnership involves Sensis and the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center, in collaboration with FAA and the Joint Planning and Development Office.

The NGATS Test Bed Demonstration Center is located at the NASA Glenn Center in Cleveland, and is connected to three airports in the area: Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Lorain County Regional Airport.

Advanced communications elements in this test bed will include provision of wireless data links for airport surface traffic management, air-ground trajectory negotiation and a common information sharing and data management network. Precise surveillance will be provided by the latest generation integrated aviation surveillance system.

Decision support tools and ATC automation components will be prototyped to implement and evaluate solutions for trajectory-based and super density operations. Advanced applications will be addressed including real time negotiation of aircraft trajectories, remote virtual provision of airport tower ATC services, integrated management of airport traffic movement and automated safety alerts to the cockpits. Visit www.sensis.com.

Boeing’s A160 Tests

Boeing resumed test operations near Victorville, Calif., as a team of engineers from Boeing and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) put the A160 through a 45-minute test that included both hover and forward flight. A six-cylinder gasoline engine variant is used in the latest series of tests.

The A160, which has accumulated more than 1,000 ground test hours and 58.5 flight hours during 32 flights, is 35 feet long with a 36-foot rotor diameter and will fly up to 140 knots with a ceiling of 25,000-30,000 feet for up to 20 hours.

Northrop Wins USAF Pact

The U.S. Air Force awarded a contract for $99.5 million to Linthicum Heights, Md.-based Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems to provide fire control radar systems to Pakistan.

Northrop Grumman will provide 54 radar systems for new F-16 aircraft for Pakistan. The procurement of 54 AN/APG-68 (V) 9 Radar Systems will be accomplished under the firm-fixed-price portion of the contract.

Flight Planning Technology

Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Md., will supply United Airlines with advanced flight planning technology, which the company says will optimize flight routes, increase efficiency and cut costs.

Flugwerkzuege Aviation Software, Lockheed Martin’s partner, will provide United with its flight-planning system and the OPUS Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) system, which the companies say will help United design better flight paths by incorporating integrated weather, NOTAM and navigational data.

Boeing Sets Milestones

Boeing touted two flight milestones of its ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS).

Boeing and its ScanEagle partner Insitu, Inc., said the UAS logged the longest continuous flight by flying a preproduction prototype Block D ScanEagle for 22 hours and eight minutes at the Boeing test range in Boardman, Ore. The team flew the test vehicle in a simulated mission profile, completing the flight with a fuel reserve.

Boeing said the Block D model features enhancements such as a higher resolution infrared camera; an inertially stabilized camera turret to maintain stable imaging; an ultra-light Mode C transponder to deconflict airspace with other air traffic; a new video transmitter system; rover interoperability for mobile operators and in-flight fuel measurement systems.

Also, the ScanEagle logged more than 20,000 combat flight hours to date supporting U.S. Marine ground force missions in Iraq, since August 2004. ScanEagle provided real-time imagery to support persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. "Our feedback from the Marines during the past two and one-half years of operation has been very positive. The ScanEagle UAS is now an integrated element in their daily operations," said Roger Carleton, director, Boeing Advanced Unmanned Systems. Visit www.boeing.com.

Apple Teams with Airlines

Apple Computers is teaming up with six airlines to provide integration between its iPod music player and in-flight entertainment systems.

Starting in mid-2007, Apple, Cupertino, Calif., said Air France, Continental, Delta Airlines, Emirates, KLM and United Airlines will begin offering iPod seat connections which will allow passengers to power and charge their iPods during flight and allow for video content on the iPods to be viewed on their seat back displays.

Also, Apple said it is working with Panasonic Avionics Corp. to bring more in-flight iPod connectivity in the future. Visit www.apple.com.

Turbulence Detection

Honeywell said it received Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval from the FAA for its new RDR-4000 weather radar system, which Honeywell says is the first weather radar system to be turbulence certified by FAA.

"With RDR-4000, pilots can detect turbulence and other hazardous weather conditions earlier to provide passengers and crew safer and more comfortable flights," Mikita said. "The ability to look ahead and reroute the plane’s flight path as needed assists in on-time arrivals and on-time departures, saving time and costs for airlines and operators."

Other new features of the radar system include 3D volumetric scanning, which provides altitude information for automatic flight plan and flight path weather detection and for the vertical analysis of storms. The 3D technology also includes Terrain-Based Digital Ground Clutter extraction for removing ground returns without the losses and delays associated with ground suppression filters, automatic compensation for the earth curvature to present a true weather picture out to 320 nautical miles. Visit www.honeywell.com.

Data Modem Contract

Innovative Concepts, a wholly owned subsidiary of Herley Industries, received a $6.5 million U.S. Army Aviation contract to develop the next generation of Improved Data Modem (IDM) Army Operation Flight Program Software Version 9.0.

"Our consistent support and dedication in providing reliable network connectivity to Army Aviation continues with the award of this contract," said, John Epperly, Innovative Concepts’ general manager.

IDM is a six-channel tactical modem/router that provides the data link between ground and Army Aviation units. The new version adds the ability to support multiple radio adapters easing the transition to JTRS functionality; multiple message blocking support for various formats and sizes; enhanced capability supporting multiple operational environments; and 26 feature improvements and/or new functionality meeting specific U.S. Army communication requirements. Visit www.innocon.com.

Lockheed Inks Deal

Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Md., was awarded a 26-month, $20 million contract by the Royal Denmark Air Force (RDAF) for its Lantirn Extended Range (ER) targeting pods. The contract is for three new pods and upgrades to RDAF’s 13 existing pods, and includes spares, maintenance training and pilot familiarization training.

Chelton SVS Approved

The STC was developed in conjunction with Hillsboro Aviation, and will be available in a standard two-screen system with a Primary Flight Display (PDF) and a Multifunction Flight Display (MFD) and an optional, three-screen system with one PFD and two MFDs.

The system uses 3D technology to translate the terrain ahead of the helicopter, which Chelton says "helps the pilot ‘see’ aircraft position in relation to the surroundings regardless of darkness or weather conditions." Visit www.cheltonflightsystems.com.

WAAS-Certified Units

Garmin International, Olathe, Kan., said its GNS 400/500 series integrated avionics units have been certified by FAA for use in GPS approaches supported by the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).

"We expect the number of WAAS equipped aircraft to increase quickly, and pilots will be able to operate to and from airports that would otherwise be unavailable to them in marginal weather," said Gary Kelley, Garmin vice president of marketing.

Garmin said upgrades of the GNS 430W and GNS 530W were available for a suggested retail price of $1,500. New units were priced at $10,750 and $16,495, respectively.

Garmin said that due to the TSO limitation in conjunction with the automatic flight management system (AFMS) limitation, GNS 400/500 series navigators will not be certified as a "primary means" of GPS navigation until customers install a new software version. Garmin expects to issue a service bulletin in the first quarter of 2007. Visit www.garmin.com.

ARC Avionics and Commercial Jet teams are co-located at Miami International Airport. They were responsible for all aspects of the advanced cockpit installation, including design, fabrication and certification. Visit www.uasc.com.

DARPA Radio Program

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) chose Rockwell Collins to lead an initiative to advance radio technology under the Analog Spectral Processors (ASP) Program.

ASP will employ Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology to create radio front-ends. Rockwell Collins has teamed with the MEMS scientific community to develop an ultra-wideband, multi-channel receiver and spectral sensor. The development will leverage innovative radio frequency (RF) architecture and novel RF MEMS technologies, including high performance tunable filters and RF switches.

John Borghese, vice president of Rockwell Collins’ Advanced Technology Center said the military’s Joint Tactical Radio System program will be one of the first programs to benefit from the work.

The first phase of the ASP program includes development of filters and components. This will be followed by a second phase in which components will be integrated into filter banks and prototypes. Demonstration of the complete radio front-end will take place in the third phase.

Concept UAS Award

MTC Technologies, Dayton, Ohio, won a $3 million contract to demonstrate a concept aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps Tier II tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program.

MTC’s "SpyHawk" UAS is designed to be a multi-mission system providing continuous day/night coverage for missions including military Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance and civil pipeline monitoring.

MTC will provide a custom-designed system consisting of an unmanned vehicle, sensor suite and integrated ground station, along with all necessary operations, engineering, maintenance and logistics support.

The 12-month demonstration contract, issued on behalf of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, may be augmented with additional options after the lab gains experience with the weapon system, MTC said.

The Tier II UAS Concept Demonstrator is expected to fly 300 hours a month, serving as a test bed for new technologies and for performing concept-based experimentation, to include the development and verification of tactics, techniques and procedures.

Flights will be conducted at either Quantico, Va., or Patuxent River Navy Air Station, Md. Visit www.mtctechnologies.com.

Cobra Experimental Ticket

Raytheon Co.’s Cobra Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) received an experimental airworthiness certificate from FAA. Cobra is the third unmanned aircraft and the first of its size to obtain the certificate, the company said.

Cobra is a low-cost UAS designed to support Raytheon’s development, integration and test of unmanned systems technologies. It has a wingspan of 10 feet and is nine feet long. The FAA certification permits flight operations in a specified section of southeastern Arizona.

The Cobra test bed will be used to support the development, test and demonstration of sensor systems, networked command, control and communications systems and UAS architectural concepts.

Radiall Sells Jerrik Assets

Paris-based Radiall said it completed the sale of certain assets of its Radiall Jerrik subsidiary in Tempe, Ariz., to Conesys Inc., of Torrance, Calif., for an undisclosed price.

The transaction gives to Conesys the Jerrik trademark and all assets relating to the design and manufacture of filter connectors and Mil-Std-1553 data bus cable assemblies.

Conesys, through its newly established subsidiary, Jerrik Inc., will retain the Tempe facility and all of the employees involved in these activities. Radiall will relocate its sales organization to support other Radiall products and its fiber optic assembly activity to new premises in Chandler, Ariz.

"The combination of Jerrik’s expertise in filter connectors and Conesys capabilities in circular connectors, will further enhance Jerrik’s position in the specialty connector marketplace," said Alan Trombly, Conesys president. Visit www.radiall.com.

L-3’s panoramic cockpit display provides pilot control and display for major functions of the F-35, including flight displays, sensor displays, communication, radio and navigation systems and identification systems. The display subsystem will be integrated with other operational flight program software developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

Avionics systems from Green Hills, Santa Barbara, Calif., also are deployed on the F/A-22 and F-16 aircraft. Visit www.ghs.com.

JTRS Design Review

Boeing completed a Delta Preliminary Design Review of its Airborne Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System (AMF JTRS) program.

The review measured the program’s progress on development specifications, system design, architecture, key component technologies and risk reduction. Boeing said it is ready to proceed to the system design and development phase.

JTRS will provide secure, software-defined radios that feature Internet-like capabilities, allowing military units to communicate with one another in a "network-centric" environment in the air, on land and at sea.

The system will support transmission and receipt of real-time text and voice information, as well as the ability to stream live audio and video, share maps, conduct networked meetings and use Voice over Internet Protocol.

Boeing’s AMF JTRS team displayed mockups of its hardware design and demonstrated prototype radios running both legacy voice communications and the Wideband Networking Waveform, which enables Internet-like capabilities. The team provided a multi-node networking demonstration using virtual and hardware-based radios.

The U.S. Air Force is expected to award the design and development phase contract in early 2007. Visit www.boeing.com.

Cathay Pacific IFE Choice

Cathay Pacific Airlines will install Rockwell Collins’ Airshow 4200D moving map and in-flight information system on five Airbus A330 and 18 Boeing 777 aircraft, with an option for an additional 20 line fit aircraft.

The system will be installed at Boeing and Airbus as line fits begin in July.

The Airshow 4200D is the most recent addition to the Rockwell Collins Airshow Moving Map family, incorporating a new digital video interface, designed specifically to take advantage of the latest generation of in-flight entertainment systems. The new interface provides an all-digital display, omitting the limitations common with analog video signals and real-time analog-to-digital encoders. Visit www.rockwellcollins.com.

Early Warning System

The U.S. Air Force Battle Control System (BCS) program was declared operational in Alaska, Hawaii and Canada in November. They are the first of five BCS sites to declare operational capability.

Two other sites — New York and Washington state — were expected to be fully operational in early 2007.

BCS is a next-generation command and control system operated by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Northern Command and Pacific Command.

The system correlates and fuses data from airborne, ground, naval and civil air traffic sensors into an integrated air picture that allows commanders to monitor the airspace above, beyond and within the U.S. and Canadian borders.

Prime contractor ThalesRaytheonSystems, the joint venture of Thales Group and Raytheon Co., is providing advanced technology that features increased sensor capacity while improving interoperability among hundreds of legacy sensors and radars. Visit www.raytheon.com.

Broadband Terminal Order

ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, Calif., received a $12 million delivery order from ARINC for additional production quantities of the SKYLink Airborne Integrated Satellite Communication Terminal.

The SKYLink communication system is a broadband in-flight communications service that ARINC supplies to business jet manufacturers and aftermarket equipment installers for the business aircraft market. ARINC recently announced the sale of the 50th set of avionics to its SKYLink launch customer Gulfstream Aerospace.

The SKYLink airborne broadband terminal is based on ViaSat’s ArcLight broadband satellite technology that uses a spread spectrum waveform.

The terminal can deliver digital data to aircraft at rates up to 3 megabits per second, providing performance similar to high-speed cable or DSL Internet connections for homes and corporate networks.

SkyBus Avionics

Features of the avionics package include the Rockwell Collins WXR-2100 MultiScan Weather Radar and the GLU-925 Multi-Mode Receiver. MultiScan provides weather detection from the nose of the aircraft to 320 nautical miles. The GLU-925 MMR supports growth to future FMS landing system (FLS) and GPS landing system (GLS) capabilities currently in development at Airbus, Rockwell Collins said.

The initial eFlight ground system will manage select operational data using the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), but is planned to expand to a full end-to-end solution set to manage the secure exchange, processing, storage and retrieval of information among SkyBus airplanes and various business, flight operations and maintenance systems. Visit www.rockwellcollins.com.

Arrowhead FLIR Order

DRS Technologies, Parsippany, N.J., received a $30 million order from Lockheed Martin to manufacture pilotage and targeting receiver assemblies for the Arrowhead Forward Looking Infrared System for the U.S. Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

The order represents Lot 3 production of Arrowhead, the Army’s Modernized Target Acquisition and Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor system. DRS will deliver 253 shipsets, each consisting of two receivers. Work will be performed by the DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems, Optronics Division, in Palm Bay, Fla. Product deliveries are expected to begin in June and continue through July 2008.

DRS delivered 89 shipsets for Lot 1 production and 90 shipsets for Lot 2 production of Arrowhead.

The design of the receivers is based on the Army’s Horizontal Technology Integration B-Kit, produced by DRS for a number of ground vehicles, and optimized for airborne application. Visit www.drs.com.

Arrowhead Capacitor

Evans Capacitor Co., Providence, R.I., won a $3.03 million contract from Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Controls to supply capacitor banks for Lot III production of the Apache helicopter Arrowhead program.

Evans will supply two specially built and packaged capacitor banks for the system. It will manufacture 250 Arrowhead shipsets by the end of 2007.

Capacitor banks for the Arrowhead use Evans Hybrid Capacitors, which are wired and packaged in rugged aluminum housings, as line replaceable modules. Visit www.evanscap.com.

Apache Longbow Contract

Boeing and the U.S. Army signed a $151.9 million contract for 11 new AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters. The funding was made available through a fiscal year 2006 supplemental budget.

The new aircraft, to be built in the Lot 11, Block II configuration, are in addition to the 16 new AH-64D Apache Longbows already under contract and to the AH-64A Apaches being remanufactured under a multi-year contract with the Army.

Boeing will begin assembly in 2008 at its manufacturing facility in Mesa, Ariz., where Apaches have been built since the program’s inception.

"A dedicated team representing government and industry worked together on this contract to ensure that the Army meets its aircraft loss replenishment objectives and that the warfighters have the resources they need to ensure mission success," said David Almond, Block II Apache program manager.

Clarification:

CMC Electronics CMA-2102LW and SatLite are two distinct high-gain antennas. They were incorrectly expressed as one antenna in the October 2006 article, "Satcom: Broadband in the Cabin." The CMA-2102LW is a lighter weight version of the CMA-2102. The new ARINC 781-compliant SatLite is the antenna selected by Airbus for the A320 family. SatLite has no numerical identifier, such as a "CMA" number. SatLite has been selected by ANA for some new B737-700ER aircraft, and by JAL for some new B737-800s. The CMA-2102LW has been selected by Airbus for the A380 as seller-furnished equipment, and it is currently being installed by Boeing on B747-400 and 777 aircraft. Visit www.cmcelectronics.ca